The Road Untravelled
by BeautifulMusings
Summary: J/P - In order to prevent a fatal Borg attack and to save their children, Pheobe and Owen Paris are sent back in time by their parents. They arrive at a date when their parents are at the very early 'start' of their relationship; leading the very flummoxed Captain Janeway to make unexpected discoveries about the man she has locked in the brig and moreover about herself.
1. 13 Years In The Future

13 Years in the Future

Borg were crawling along the corridors of the ship. The warp core was offline and the thrusters were down.

They had been hiding in the asteroid belt for three weeks, but food rations were critical and the emergency water rations had only a few days left; so they had had to make a run for it – only one shot of leaving the Borg infected space...the odds had never been in their favour.

"Tom have you got our children to the transporter bay!" demanded Kathryn through her Comm. The Borg were on the bridge now. Tuvok and Kim were struggling to subdue them. They were adapting too fast.  
>"Yes, the co-ordinates are set," he replied, his fingers busily passing over the controls, "and the new system...it's not rejecting their material!" her husband exclaimed with relief. They could do this.<p>

On the transporter deck the two young children stood shaking, tears streaming down their faces, they wanted to run to their dad but they knew he wouldn't want them to; they had to do what they were told – mum had made them swear.  
>"Pheobe, Owen, we love you <em>so much<em>. We'll be there. We will be younger but it will still be us," assured their father. His children nodded, and despite feeling terrified he refused to let it show as he held their gaze and he activated the transporter. Before his eyes they disappeared.  
>"Tom?! -"<br>"-they're gone Kathryn," replied her husband. She felt as a tear slip down her cheek. She didn't have time for emotions though.

"Computer Operate Self-Destruct Sequence, authorisation Janeway Pi 110 - immediate effect."


	2. Meeting Owen and Pheobe

Chapter 1 – Meeting Owen and Pheobe

Thirteen years in the past voyager was half-way through a three day course to an interesting M class planet which, if the scans were correct, had mineral deposits similar to that of Voyager's outer shell which had taken quite the battering over the last year.

Captain Janeway was in her private quarters when she received the call that the ships had received some unexpected young humans. Rather surprised she ordered that they were be taken to the medical bay for routine scans and that she would meet them there.

"How ever did they get here?" exclaimed Captain Janeway as on entering she saw the sight of two very scared human children sat together on the edge of the medical bed holding hands tightly as the Doctor scanned them for a third time and went to get the equipment necessary for a full blood sample – he was struggling to make sense of the results he was receiving.

"They materialised in our transporter bay. I tried to trace the origin, but it kept on reverting back to the transporter room," answered the ensign. "They were both sobbing when they came through, they were scared stiff." The captain could see that clear enough herself. "They weren't wearing any clothes so I immediately replicated them something basic to wear."

"Thank you ensign that will be all, run a full scan of the transporter readings and have them sent to Ensign Kim and Commander Tuvok – tell Commander Tuvok to report to the medical bay." The ensign nodded and left the captain in the medical bay with the two security guards stationed at the door.

The Captain made her way through to where the children were sat in the medical bay. Their backs were to her. She didn't want to frighten them so she walked around the edge of the room so that she would come gradually into view from a safe distance. The moment the children's eyes caught sight of her she was nearly knocked against the wall and into the Doctor's equipment as the boy and girl threw their arms around her and refused to let go. She had no idea why but her instinct was to immediately pull them closer to her.

"Please don't not want us," whispered the little girl, the slightly younger of the two. Kathryn was knocked aback. She let continue to hold onto her as she knelt down and tried to look at them both sensibly – it was as if they knew her. The boy she saw looked about twelve, his hair was a dirty blonde, short and ruffled, his large light blue eyes which were brimming with tears that he was fighting against. The little girl on the other hand had shoulder length tasselled dark red hair and a pale complexion like her brother, her eyes were different though – they were a light hazel. For the captain, looking at the little girl was like looking at an image of her younger self. And the little boy – she could see some of her features in him also, his jaw and his chin, they were hers. She was speechless.

"I can help you there," spoke the Doctor aloud. "These are indeed your children," he informed her. "Only they are from the future, thirteen years and five weeks to be precise."

The captain was of course shocked but she didn't let it show, if these were her children they needed reassurance and comfort from her – she wouldn't let them be afraid any more than they already were.

"Hello," spoke the captain softly, her hand stroking away the wetness from the boy's cheeks and another hand tucking a lock of hair behind her daughter's ear.

"They've journeyed a long time back into the past, to even before they were conceived; your son is twelve years old, and your daughter is ten," continued the Doctor.

"I-I don't know what to say," spoke the Captain honestly as she got up from the floor – two uncertain pairs of eyes locked on her. Never had she been trained for anything like this, she didn't think she ever could have been prepared for it.

"I suppose a start would be to say what our names are," helped the sandy haired boy, and she couldn't help but smile at that.

At that moment Chakotay entered the room followed by Tuvok, they too were stunned at seeing the two children. The little boy shrunk back slightly and grabbed hold of his sister's hand again.

"I suppose you read the scans," spoke the captain. "The Doctor has already confirmed; they are from the future. And my children were about to tell us their names," she said, giving the boy a smile and encouraging him to continue

"I'm Owen and this is Pheobe," spoke the boy nervously.

"Captain, do you think it is wise to speak to them?" interrupted the Vulcan. "The temporal directive is at risk by anything they divulge to you. Even by something so simple as their names. I recommend we concentrate on getting them back to their time – and only on that-".

"We can't go back though," spoke the boy quickly. The captain looked at him with alarm. "Our future...our parents...the ship it's gone. We were sent back to a place in time, before we were born, to live with you and to prevent the same future from happening again. The trans-time transporter technology was given to you by a race which only ever transported their own organic cells; it took B'Elanna and you three weeks just to modify it enough to be inclusive of our organic material, it wouldn't work on an object or other material. It had to be a human being," explained Owen. "We are an anomaly, because we arrived before our conception we will never be created, that's why we will be able to exist alongside you. But the future has already been changed so there is nowhere for you to send us back to. It was one way. That's why they picked now, so we wouldn't have to live out our lives along duplicate selves. It was the only logical option," finished the boy looking at the Vulcan. Tuvok raised an eyebrow at the explanation.

"Your parent's logic dictated that you should alter thirteen years of history in this quadrant to save voyager and the crew? It is irresponsible and not even within the usual wide parameters of risk allowed by Captain Janeway."

"Yes but the Captain Janeway in their future is actually a mother. I think I can see myself being very irrational in those circumstances."

"We are not here to alter history for the worse," spoke Owen. "We're not stupid, we know what must remain the same but there are lots more innocent lives we can also save – we know all the ships mission logs by heart. Dad used to read them to us."

"Wait – we...I don't even know who your father is actually," she continued though, "-we sent you –

"Tom Paris" helped Owen. Her eyes widened slightly. She struggled, but continued nevertheless with what she was saying.

"-Tom Paris and I sent you from the future back into the past, before I presumably self-destructed the ship, to live your lives out here – with our younger selves, for us to take you in and love you and not return you – because...because we knew that would be impossible..."

"You promised," replied the little girl, speaking for the first time. "We didn't want to go but you made us swear not to move from the transporters, and you promised that you'd always love us – no matter...no matter when we were sent back to. And daddy said that even if you were younger you'd still be you. Where is daddy?"

"Where's dad – is he okay? He is here right?" insisted Owen.

"Your father is in the brig, he has another twenty-eight days left to serve of a thirty day sentence." She spoke slowly, bringing a hand to a throbbing head – how could one man be the cause of so much stress?

"You did very quickly mention that he would be in the brig...you were very annoyed with him about that..."

"The logical reason would be that-"

"-thank you Tuvok, I've already reasoned what the only logical explanation is." Sometime in the next twenty-eight days she would conceive a blonde bright blue-eyed boy in the brig with her recently court-marshalled pilot who was supposedly in 'solitary confinement'_._

"We're really sorry," apologised the little girl, Pheobe, she must have named her after her sister.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she replied. "I'm very glad that you and your brother are here, my future self knows me very well – I already do love you very much," she said, hugging them both very tightly to her. She pressed a kiss to Pheobe's hair and she felt tears begin to prickle in her own eyes. She had never imagined that she would have children. But here they were, vulnerable and so delicate in her arms. She spent a few moments just enjoying holding them close. After a while though she remembered that there were others in the room. She straightened up and turned to Commander Chakotay and Tuvok.

"I suppose if we are throwing the temporal directive out of the window," spoke Chakotay. "Can we ask...do you know us both in the future?" Both officers were glad to see the children nodding vehemently.

"Of course," laughed Pheobe, "Mr Tuvok is our tutor." Captain Janeway felt overwhelmed at the sight of her smiling daughter, she was beautiful, they were both perfect.

"Pheobe, Owen, I need to speak to have a meeting with my senior officers about this...and I need to make a visit to the brig evidently. Is it okay if I leave you here with the Doctor? I am sure he has a lot more scans he wants to run on you." They both nodded, and then hugged her again before she then exited the room with her Chakotay and Tuvok.

* * *

><p>No one said anything until they were in the ready room. The captain rested her back against the wall and brought a hand to her neck. It was gradually beginning to sink in and she was a mixture of nervousness and exuberance. Her whole world had changed within the space of an hour. It seemed that everything she knew about herself, had predicted for herself, was wrong. And then there was Tom Paris, the man whom had hurt so deeply and she had believed also so irrevocably, he was the father of their most beautiful children. At present she struggled to think of him without grinding her teeth. She would have to tell him though. Owen and Pheobe would want to see him, and so she would have to face him. It was such a mess.<p>

"Captain, I think they are wonderful," spoke Chakotay, bringing the captain out of her thoughts. "I know this is a shock, and you must be at a loss for what to do – but putting that all aside – they are intelligent, funny and very very brave. I can see why you would have gone to all lengths to save them from that future." The captain smiled at those words.

"Their father though...whatever am I to do about Tom Paris?" she mused.

"I advise you to not release him from the brig early captain," advised Tuvok, she was nodding as he spoke. "It would be a poor example and show favouritism at a time when people will be perhaps doubting your impartiality. People will be watching closely your leadership decisions with the addition of the two new crew members on board. A relationship with a senior officer would be unwise at this particular time."

"'Particular time' – do you think it is ever right?" she asked the Vulcan seriously. "I mean I am the captain of this ship, Starfleet regulations clearly state I should not have a personal relationship with any person under my command?"

"So you and Tom are not...?" asked Chakotay, as tactfully as he could.

"No, trust me this is very, very unexpected. Right now I am furious with him."

"Hate and love are often very closely entwined," stated Tuvok, she looked up at him alarmed – she was rather shocked to hear that statement from the Vulcan. "As for Starfleet regulations, an exception in this case would be allowed regarding relationships, and as the situation is – you and he will naturally have to have a more personal relationship in the future."

"I have to say I am not overly surprised captain – there is something between you two, even though neither of you has dared to act on it. It's why his betrayal hurt you so deeply," added Chakatay.

"So you would condone it?" she asked, purely theoretically. Tuvok and Chakotay both nodded. "I think I need to go and speak to Tom," she stated, finally managing to pull her thoughts together. "I'm scheduling a meeting for 1500 hours of the senior officers. In the mean time I want you two to work on an explanation for how this has happened, include Torres and engineering. For now some discretion regarding the children would be appreciated. I'm going to tell the crew soon, I just want a strategy in place first." She then left the room, and turned on her heel purposefully towards the brig. Herself and Ensign Paris really did need to talk.


	3. A Question and An Answer

Chapter 2 – A Question and an Answer

Tom was sat by himself cross-legged at the foot of his bed, his head rested back against the metal. Around the small personal space a force field was operating. He didn't regret it, he'd do it again in a heartbeat. But he did regret that hurt in her eyes. The clear heart break and disbelief that laced the words she had struggled to articulate. Any trust she had in him had evaporated. And any _love, _any morsel of love that he had so hoped she had for him must have surely vanished along with it. He hated the world so much for tearing her from him. Honour, moral codes, they were the fault for everything.

He didn't hear as she entered the brig and soundlessly dismissed the young female officer that had been his only company. He didn't even feel her eyes running over him, the waves of thought, of contemplation, and the pulling of heart strings as she took in the sight of the man whom she was supposed to love, perhaps.

He was handsome, charming, and she had once thought perfect. It was like pulling a dagger from out of her gut as she dropped the force field and walked over to confront him. He heard her footsteps and she watched as he scrambled up from the floor and then met her eyes, there was shame in his eyes and sorrow.

"Captain?" he addressed uncertainly.

"Ensign I need..." she had entered the room so strong and determined but she felt pieces of herself now falling away, shattering all over again. She knew she loved him, and it was breaking her heart. Tom watched nervously as she tried and failed again to speak to him.

"I'm sorry captain. I'm so sorry that I've hurt you,"

"You know there is an old saying," she spoke slowly, ignoring his words. "We always hurt the one's the one's we love...Ensign, I, is there any world in which you love me? Answer me honestly, don't hold back, I wouldn't blame you right now if you hated me. But I think I really deserve to know," she asked. Her strength returned to her in the last words as she asked the question levelly to him.

Tom Paris's mind was confused, at a loss for why she was asking him this, at now of all times. He straightened up and held her gaze as he replied though, finally speaking honestly and candidly about his feelings in the first time in what felt like a decade. Since he had first had a teenage crush on her and consoled in his childhood best friend.

"Yes captain, I do love you," he answered, and she breathed in sharply. "I have been in love with you since I was fifteen years old and I showed you around our garden when you waited for my father to arrive. I joined Starfleet to be with you. I wanted to impress you, work my way up and be someone good enough for you...which I failed at." Her pilot had to more to say though and she didn't interrupt him as he continued. "I couldn't believe it when I saw you at the penal camp, I was embarrassed, and I hated myself. I had been trying to convince myself that you weren't worth it but the moment I saw you I knew I could never convince myself of that, so I agreed of course to go with you. This...I've felt numb inside this whole mission Kathryn, I laugh out loud and joke but inside I'm so far from laughing. I know that you don't feel the same way. That you will never feel the same way about me. I've accepted that. I suppose that answers your question."

"It answers quite a few actually," she spoke quietly and to herself.

She hadn't known what could possibly have made her break all regulations and against all reason sleep with him, and love him. But now she knew. His admission was convincing her now that it was worth it as it must have also convinced her future self. She was still very angry though, and compiling that anger was now the need to stay strong and have the will power to carry out his punishment with Owen and Pheobe's unexpected arrival. Thomas Eugene Paris definitely excelled at making her life more difficult for her.

She gave a frustrated sigh. She then pulled her gaze from him and turned her back on him; trying to collect her thoughts and fighting hard to keep her composure.

"I...I need time," she replied. "Tom you've created a nightmare for me. A nightmare that causes me to break Starfleet regulation, seriously question the rationality of my heart, and the future I was sure I would have," she stated plainly. "No great love, no children..."

"Captain-" tried Tom.

"You think I am too good for you? Tom, look at you; you're young, handsome, brave, selfless, and you make me laugh. I'm 11 years older than you, and I can feel everyday this journey scraping away at my life, my vitality. I will be defeated by the time we return to the Alpha quadrant."

"You are too stubborn to ever be defeated," replied Tom.

"I thought I was too stubborn to ever fall in love but our two children from the future in the medical bay are proof that is not the case."

"What? Our children from the future are in the medical bay?" he repeated.

"They are from thirteen years in the future, the boy is 12 and the girl is 10. The boy, Owen, resembles you so much it is uncanny. The girl is called Pheobe after my sister, she has red hair and she's funny, they are both very bright," she replied nonchalantly.

"How? Why are they both here?" questioned Tom.

"Voyager was under attack, I was about to self-destruct the ship, we sent them back to a point in time before their conception so that they could prevent the future from happening and also to be raised by us here, in the now, on voyager. They can't be sent back," she answered matter-of-factly.

"How are they – were they injured?" he pressed anxiously, he wasn't expecting this, everything seemed like a blur and surreal, he'd nearly forgotten the part where he think the captain admitted that she loved him back.

"They're healthy. They are with the Doctor right now so he can continue to run tests on them."

"We are parents?" he asked, trying to clarify what was being said.

"Yes we are."

"Can I see them?"

"I haven't just lowered the force field for effect. I'm altering your sentence to allow standard visiting hours of two hours a week on Sundays. You can have yesterday's today. I meant it when I said that this was not going to be a holiday. As they are in the medical bay and were very insistent on seeing you I suggest we don't wait any longer. So if you follow me. Myself and the brig officer can escort you to the medical bay."

* * *

><p>The walk to the medical bay was four corridors and one turbo lift in duration. He felt himself moving with both trepidation and excitement. By the time he arrived at the medical bay his heart was pounding so hard in his chest that Tom Paris thought it was good thing he was in the medical bay as he may actually need medical attention.<p>

"Ensign Paris, your children," introduced the Doctor. "Two specimens of perfect health."

Kathryn watched through glassy eyes as Tom faltered for a moment at the sight of them and then moved towards them and hugged them both close to himself as she had done. Tom's eyes traced over every inch of their faces, every freckle and every line of their face. Everything. He knew he only had two hours to imprint on his mind memories that would have to last him the next week.

"Dad I'm so glad you're alive," murmured Owen as he threw his hands around his Dad's neck again. Tom managed to heave him up onto the medical bed. He did the same with Pheobe and then he dragged over the chair from beside the bed to face them, and talk with them; he wanted so much to talk with them.

"Mummy, why are you all the way over there? Why don't you come over here?" asked her little girl, her tiny brow furrowed. Tom looked over at the Kathryn sympathetically. He could understand what she was feeling; all of it was so overwhelming. She put on a smile and nodded, as she then prised herself away from the wall – her only grounding – and made her way over to the three of them.

"So what is happening to dad?" asked Owen. "Is he still in the brig?"

"I'm afraid so," she admitted softly. "I can't let him out after having only served two-days, can you understand that?"

"Yeah," replied her son with the expected sulk.

"You really shouldn't have broken the prime directive," Kathryn thought aloud, the words she had been thinking in her head all day accidently slipping out.

"You mean like did when you sent Pheobe and me back in time to alter thirteen years of the future?" defended Owen, and then she heard Pheobe break into another giggle.

"Why are you laughing?" Kathryn asked, distracting herself from the point her son had made.

"Only, it's just funny, because you always say that it was a_ very good thing _that daddy broke the prime directive."

"I do?" she asked seriously.

"Yes," nodded her red-headed daughter, "because it caused you to realise how much you loved him, to lose your cool as daddy says and to do something about it."

"And just how close were me and the captain in your future?" asked Tom Paris; his eyes kept fixed on Kathryn.

"Well you don't call her captain, at least not at home," laughed Owen. "You've been married eleven years, so yeah, you were pretty close dad," his son assured him with a grin. His dad didn't see the grin though, his eyes were locked with Kathryn's; watching as she seemed to be very surprised by the news that they were married, but in a good way though - as even she couldn't hold back completely the upward tug on the corners of her mouth.

In that moment Tom Paris moved forward and did what he should have done years ago and kissed the beautiful woman before him. And the captain, his Kathryn, let him.


	4. Of The Head And The Heart

Of The Head and The Heart

Their kiss lasted for only a few moments though before Kathryn pulled away and got smoothly to her feet to sit on the medical bed with the children. She could feel Tom's eyes on her searching for what he had done wrong. Pheobe and Owen had scrunched up their faces when they had kissed and were thankfully not aware of the slight unease between them both. Kathryn instinctively pulled Owen against her for some comfort, he smiled up at her and she couldn't help but smile back.

"So, which of you two is the best pilot?" asked Tom, keen to distract himself from Kathryn.

"That's me," claimed Pheobe raising her chin. "I've been in simulations since I was three. I'm a level 7 and have logged over 400" she stated proudly. The little girl couldn't wait to show him how good she was.

"Since you were three!?" repeated Kathryn, and Tom had a terrible feeling she may be about to get angry at him for something he hadn't even done yet.

"Yeah, dad was originally trying to teach Owen and I was just watching. He gave up and taught me instead," replied Pheobe brightly. "Owen was terrible..." she added with a disappointed shake of her head. "Dad was about to teach me Voyager's evasive patterns-"

"-You claim you can fly a ship but can you fix it when it fails?" questioned Owen turning to his sister. "What happens when the thrusters cut out? – what are you going to do then Phebes? You need an engineer," he answered smugly. Pheobe merely rolled her eyes.

"You're training to be an engineer?" inquired Kathryn with a bright smile.

"You do equations with me when Pheobe and dad do the simulations. You say it helps take your mind off whatever they are doing."

* * *

><p>Kathryn and Tom continued to talk with Pheobe and Owen for the next two hours. The time seemed to race by. When the time was up and they had to say goodbye to Tom she could tell that although the children both pretended to be fine they were far from it. Kathryn felt terrible parting them from Tom. She promised them both that she would be back in about two hours to take them to the mess hall for lunch, then, with a very heavy heart she walked her pilot out of the medical bay.<p>

"Kathryn, you don't need to put me back in the brig," stated Tom as the force field was erected between them both. She needed to get the shield up as quickly as she could, the kiss had jumbled her thoughts and confused her; she didn't trust herself with him at all.

"I can't have one set of standards for you and one set for everyone else," she stated firmly.

"Really?" he questioned with a small laugh, she looked back at him incredulously. He stepped forward so that he was as close as he could be to the barrier; she was just mere inches from him. "I didn't say this before because I didn't know then that they would be here, but...honestly Kathryn it feels like the standard that you've set for me is higher than you've held anyone else to," he could see that the captain was far from in agreement but he continued. "When Tuvok and B'Elanna stole the space folding technology against your direct orders you didn't so much as demote them, let alone give them 30 days solitary confinement!" he exclaimed. She met his eyes dangerously but appeared to be unmoved as he continued. "Us, their parents, have just died in their timeline," he emphasised. "Owen and Pheobe have arrived at a time when they don't even exist yet. If I was them I'd be scared. I would be doubting whether my mum and dad loved me, that thought would terrify me. That's about to hit them Kathryn. They need us both. We need to be there to tell them that none of the memories or the history matters; that it's all irrelevant to whether or not we love them. Please, let me be there for them, and you." Kathryn understood all too well that what he said about Owen and Pheobe was true. But as she looked back at him she struggled to cast aside the betrayal. The lieutenant she had trusted, the flash pilot she had inadvertently fallen in love with, had gone against her direct orders and had caused her to give the order to shoot him down. "Kathryn please, I am sorry that I've hurt you. I shouldn't have put you in that position."

"But you would do it again" Kathryn stated pointedly.

"I don't regret it." She sighed and looked downwards at the floor between them, the invisible shield rising from somewhere in the space. "The crew has more faith in you than you think; there isn't going to be anyone following my example Kathryn. If you think this punishment will deter me though from making a similar decision again you know it won't. I can't blindly follow orders-"

"-I need you to" she replied sternly. She could feel her emotions becoming more difficult to control, it was impossible to look at him. Tom waited for her to continue; his stance relaxing as he stepped down from the attack as he saw her struggling against tears. "I can't be the one to give the order to kill you," she stated, her voice struggling to stay strong. "I would have given the order to shoot," continued Kathryn, "I shouldn't have fired the torpedoes" she admitted, her voice failing, "I am so thankful that you are here still-"

"Kathryn don't-"

"What have I become? Who have I become that I am so wrapped up in Starfleet code that I could give the order to kill you? I'm angrier at myself than I am with you. You really should hate me, not love me," she finished.

"Please let down the force-field," requested Tom.

"I am quite sure you don't want me to," she replied feebly.

"The force-field," he insisted. She sighed and moved over to the controls, her fingers gracing over the controls and completing the action which she was sure was unwise.

She had barely flicked her eyes back to him though as in that same second the shield was lowered he rushed towards her and crashed his lips against hers. Tom poured into the kiss all his pent up emotions and love. She was at first taken aback, his kiss was surprising and terrifying. She felt herself melting into it though, she did love him and it was impossible to not kiss him back. She let him hold her close to him, a hand on the low of her back and another cupping her face. When he pulled back Kathryn Janeway found himself looking up into sincere eyes.

"I don't think it's possible for me to ever hate you," Tom assured her with a smile. She smiled weakly back at him. "You make me frustrated and angry yes, but I know that I will never not be in love with you."

"Are you sure about me?" she asked him seriously. "I am far from easy to be with."

"Yes," he replied confidently, "and what about me?" he posed.

"What about you?" she asked in mock ignorance while cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Could you ever love me captain? Evidence of two children and an 11 year marriage aside," he added, though it was impossible to detract from the seriousness of the question he was asking. His hands were now settled on her waist.

"I know I definitely could," she replied, and Tom Paris couldn't prevent himself from kissing her again for that.

"I have a meeting with my officers that I need to go to," she spoke regretfully after they broke apart. He nodded in acknowledgement. Painfully she tore her eyes away from him, raised the force-field, and left the brig allowing the brig officer to re-enter and maintain guard.

* * *

><p>Kathryn Janeway's thoughts were a jumble as she headed down the corridor to the ready room – whatever had she let herself do, starting a relationship with a member of her crew?, one currently in solitary confinement? She raised a hand to her brow; it was pounding with the worst headache.<p>

"Captain," greeted Chakotay rising from his chair. The senior officers were sat quietly around the table; she expected that they had all been briefed. She nodded to Chakotay and he sat back down as she made her way to her seat at the head of the table.

"I am sure you are all familiar with the situation at hand," she began confidently, far more confidently than she felt. "Approximately four hours ago two children arrived through our transporter system from the future. A boy of 12 called Owen Paris and girl of 10 called Pheobe Paris. All scans at present indicate that they are from the future, can you confirm that Lieutenant Torres?"

"I've analysed the data from the transporter, there is a temporal distortion of 13 years captain," confirmed B'Elanna, Torres took a breath and Kathryn indicated for her to continue. "Myself, Seven and Tuvok have ran the data through every analysis tool we know but it's been impossible to discover the method they used to do this. To speak bluntly captain the technology does not appear to be present in our timeframe for it to be understood. Until we meet the aliens in the future who will share this technology with us I have no way of even beginning to understand how they did it."

"I appreciate everything you and Seven and Tuvok have done to try to understand this phenomenon. Honestly I was doubtful of any success once I realised we had on purpose sent them back in time to a point when they did not a present exist and would not exist in the future," said Kathryn truthfully. "Doctor – have you anything further to add?"

"I can confirm the temporal difference of the children, and that they are yours and Tom Paris's children" replied the Doctor whom was displayed on the screen. "As far as I can tell there is no side-effect of the device so far, but I will need to continue to monitor them both closely – a visit every morning for the next twenty days is highly advisable – to be certain there are no latent side-effects" he paused for a moment, thinking on the best choice of words. "Right now I am most concerned about their mental health," he informed her, " – the impact that 13 years regression into the past will have on them and moreover the realisation that the people around them are not the same as those they knew in their timeframe – they will grieve the Voyager they've left. I recommend that you try to make things as familiar for them as you can: where they sleep, where they eat, where they go to school and who they spend time with. It would be very helpful for them both."

"Thank you Doctor," replied the captain. The doctor gave a nod and then left the display; he had two temporally displaced children to watch after all.

"People, places," Kathryn muttered quietly to herself, Chakotay looked over at her sympathetically.

"Captain if I may, – I suggest we take each of the doctor's points at a time. Firstly is the matter of where they sleep, do you know where they lived in their timeframe?"

"My quarters apparently, with Paris's quarters used a school from what I could understand."

"Then let's arrange for the necessary alterations to take place, and Tuvok, would you be able to make the necessary changes to your schedule to include being a tutor?" asked Chakotay to Tuvok, the Vulcan predictably nodded.

"I was expecting this assignment and I have already prepared a proposal for my altered shifts, though I do not think I functioned in this role alone – I suspect that there was also another tutoring them?"

"Seven was their other tutor – but I can't expect you both to do this, it's a lot to take on?"

"Captain I am already tutoring Naomi Wildman," replied Seven, "it would make no difference to my current schedule to include the tutoring of Owen and Pheobe Paris. It would not be an inconvenience for me."

"I also am a good choice captain, I have experience of teaching at the Academy, I would also enjoy teaching your children." Kathryn nodded and smiled, she was very thankful.

"It is advisable that in our first lesson I take them to Astrometrics to enter what information they can with regard to hostile space and where exactly it was that the future us encountered the Borg." Kathryn nodded to that suggestion, it was very appropriate. She didn't know what she would do if four children were sent back from the future, not that she thought necessarily that she would have more children with him.

"Well that's the question of the school sorted," concluded Chakotay. "Where do they eat normally?"

"I don't know, it didn't come up," she replied.

"And what about their friends on the ship?" he asked.

"They spoke a lot about Naomi, she baby sat for me it seemed, though that is not much of an option now. They smiled a lot when they talked about you Neelix," spoke Kathryn.

"Me!" exclaimed Neelix with a happy smile. "Well I have to say that makes me very happy! When you are not able to be with them and those poor children aren't having lessons with Tuvok and Seven I'll more than happily look after them for you. I can teach them some recipes, or perhaps they can even teach me some from the future, recipes I haven't even come up with yet!" Neelix finished very enthusiastically. Kathryn smiled and nodded. The crew were all stepping up and helping her when she needed them most.

"Well, I think that's everything on the doctor's list" spoke Chakotay.

"Yes it is. Thank you all so much, I think we all have enough to be getting on with for now. Tuvok and Seven, if you work on syncing your schedules and send me a copy I will have a check through. Everyone is dismissed."

"There was one person who wasn't discussed Kathryn," spoke Chakotay when it was only him and Kathryn left in the room.

"Thank you for not raising it" she replied, her eyes avoiding his.

"What is going to happen to him, they both will need their father at a time like this?" posed her friend carefully.

"I've adjusted Tom's visiting schedule to allow for Starfleet standard family visiting times, two hours a week."

"Two hours?" repeated Chakotay, she didn't need to look at him to know he was shaking his head. "In a time of emotional hardship surely that can be altered?"

"Chakotay," spoke Kathryn, straightening up, "they are mine and Tom's children. Owen and Pheobe say I marry him in not less than two years...I, I don't want the crew to think I am showing him any favouritism. You saw for yourself that I was hardly knocked back with surprise at the suggestion that he was their father," she confessed.

"I think the crew would understand the exceptional circumstances for the visiting hours" he argued.

"I'm not certain they would," Kathryn replied. "Look, I'm not pretending to know anything about how to be a mother but I will try my hardest to be enough for them both these next four weeks."

"Kathryn-"

"-we kissed" she admitted aloud, to herself as much as to him. "I need time to be able to separate my emotion from my rational thought. So that when I make the decision whether to release him I know that it's Captain Janeway who is making it and not Kathryn."

"Permission to speak off record captain?"

"I was rather hoping this whole conversation was off the record but go ahead."

"Whatever makes you think that the head is always right and the heart isn't?" he asked her. "You lead this ship using both. I don't think you can separate the two," he stated. "Kathryn if I were you I'd be very careful, as your friend I warn you that these first few days may be defining for all of you; not letting Tom Paris see his children I think will be a decision you will regret" he advised her. "I take it I may leave." She let out a sighed and nodded.


End file.
